Device for using fibers with flexible fiber-routing tubes

Abstract

A fiber application machine, for making components out of composite materials, that includes a system for displacing a fiber application head, fiber storage means, and fiber conveying means for conveying fibers from said storage means to the application head. The conveying means include flexible tubes connecting the storage means to the application head, each flexible tube being fitted with at least one longitudinal flexible blade of rectangular transverse cross-section, said flexible blade being placed substantially parallel to the plane of transport of the fiber received in the inner passage of the flexible tube.

1. A fiber application machine comprising:
 a system for displacing a fiber application head; 
 fiber storage means; and 
 fiber conveying means for conveying fibers from the fiber storage means to the fiber application head, the conveying means including flexible tubes connecting the fiber storage means to the fiber application head, each flexible tube adapted to receive one fiber into an inner passage of each flexible tube, the flexible tubes being anchored at an end of the fiber application head and an end of the storage means, respectively, via upstream and downstream anchoring means, 
 wherein each flexible tube is fitted with at least one longitudinally flexible blade of rectangular transverse cross-section, the blade being arranged substantially parallel to a plane of transport of a fiber received in the inner passage of the flexible tube to prevent transverse bending of the tube in a plane of the blade. 
 
     
     
       2. The fiber application machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one blade is made of metal and is integral with a flexible tube of plastic material. 
     
     
       3. The fiber application machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one blade is coupled to an outer surface of the flexible tube by assembly means. 
     
     
       4. The fiber application machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible tubes are of rectangular cross-section, the at least one blade being placed along one of two large dimension sides of the flexible tube. 
     
     
       5. The fiber application machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the conveying means further comprises fluidization means adapted to fluidize a fiber when the fiber is transported in the inner passage of a flexible tube. 
     
     
       6. The fiber application machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the fluidization means include air injection means adapted to inject air into the inner passage of each flexible tube so as to create an airflow in a direction of transport of the fibers. 
     
     
       7. The fiber application machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the fluidization means include vibration means adapted to make the flexible tubes vibrate. 
     
     
       8. The fiber application machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the fluidization means are mounted on the upstream anchoring means. 
     
     
       9. The fiber application machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible tubes are anchored in at least one row by common upstream and downstream anchoring means. 
     
     
       10. The fiber application machine according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 at least one tension limiting system between the fiber application head and the storage means in order to exert a tensile stress on the fibers, the flexible tubes including first sections anchored at an end of the storage means and to the limiting system, via first common upstream and downstream anchoring means, respectively, and second sections fixed at an end to the limiting system and to the fiber application head via second common upstream and downstream anchoring systems, respectively.